


Anything and Everything

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Game of Thrones Season 8 [8]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, Post-Episode: s08e03 The Long Night, Season/Series 08
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Arya finds Gendry after the battle is over.





	Anything and Everything

It’s over. After all the planning and fear and fighting they’ve won. At least this war.

Arya tries not to think about the fight still to come. That’s a problem for another day. For now, she goes to Bran. She hugs him tightly, feeling relieved that they both made it out.

“We need to check on Sansa and Jon,” she says.

“They’re alright,” he tells her. His eyes drift somewhere over Arya’s shoulder. She knows what he’s seeing. “We need to tell Sansa about Theon.”

Arya nods and moves behind him. She does her best to push him through the snow and out of the Godswood. Her mind drifts to Gendry as she wonders if he’s alright. She doesn’t ask Bran. This is just for her.

The first person she sees is Jon. He’s standing in the middle of the courtyard with his back to them. His sword is hanging limply from his hands. He turns when he hears their approach, and Arya watches as relief takes over his face before he’s running towards them.

He hugs Bran first, before pulling Arya into a tight hug. “You’re alright.”

“Thanks to Arya,” Bran says. “She ended it.”

Jon’s brow furrows, “You mean…”

“I killed the Night King,” Arya says.

“Of course you did,” Jon says, not a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“Arya! Bran! Jon!”

Their attention turns to Sansa. She’s stumbling her way towards them, with Tyrion right behind her. She looks shaken, but otherwise unharmed. She hugs the three of them in turn before looking around the courtyard. “Theon?”

“I’m sorry Sansa,” Bran says. Sansa shakes her head, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. “He fought bravely until the end.”

When Sansa starts to cry, Jon puts an arm around her shoulder. Arya can’t remember the last time she saw Sansa cry like this. Apparently she and Theon were closer than she realized.

“I need to find someone,” Arya says. She goes to step away, but Bran’s voice has her steps faltering. “He’s by the gate.”

Arya doesn't need to ask who. She nods and starts hurrying towards the gate. Gendry has to be alive. She passes Brienne and Jaime Lannister on her way. The two are sitting slumped against a wall, their arms wrapped around each other. But they’re alive.

She sees the Hound slumped against another wall, and nods as she passes. She tries not to look at the dead, keeping her eyes forward as she looks for Gendry.

She doesn’t see him right away. The area by the gate is crowded, both with the living and the dead. She feels a hand on her arm and turns.

Gendry is there. He’s bloody and dirty but he’s alive. She doesn’t think before launching herself into his arms and kissing him. He’s quick to respond, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her back with as much enthusiasm as their tired bodies can muster.

“I’m glad you’re alright,” he murmurs against her lips.

“You too,” Arya replies just as softly.

“Do you know what happened?” Gendry asks her.

“I killed him,” Arya says. “The Night King.”

Gendry stares at her, his eyes wide and mouth parted. Then he’s shaking his head with a proud smile. “If anyone could do it, it’s you.”

Then he’s kissing her again. She lets herself forget about anything else except the way his lips feel against hers.

“I want you to stay,” she tells him. “After it’s all over. I want you to stay in Winterfell with me.”

Gendry sighs and takes a step back, “Arya.”

Arya frowns, “So what? You can kiss me and fuck me but you don’t want to be with me?”

“I didn’t say that,” Gendry says.

“Then what is it?” Arya asks.

“You amazing, Arya Stark. You could have anyone you wanted. What could you possibly want from a bastard blacksmith?”

“Everything,” Arya says as if it's that simple. To her it is.

“Don’t mess around,” Gendry says.

“I’m not,” Arya tells him. She steps closer, and rests her hand on his chest. “I don’t want anyone else. I want you. You said I would be your lady, remember?”

“I do,” Gendry says. He brings a hand up to cover hers. “And I meant it. But I have nothing to offer you, Arya. Only myself.”

“That’s all I want,” Arya tells him. “We can figure the rest out together.”

“Has anyone ever told you you’re stubborn?”

Arya smiles, “Maybe a few times.”

Gendry looks around them. When he looks back Arya notices for the first time how haunted his eyes look. She can only imagine what she must look like. It’s going to take time for all of them to get over this. If they even can.

She doesn’t know how she’s supposed to walk the halls of Winterfell without seeing cold dead blue eyes on decaying flesh. They may have survived but none of them are the same as they were before the battle started. How could they be?

She feels a hand on her cheek before Gendry’s voice reaches her. “Arya?”

Her eyes focus on his concerned face and she takes a deep breath. “How are we going to do this?”

“Us?”

Arya shakes her head. “No. Move on. After everything we’ve seen. How do we just go back to normal after that?”

“We don’t,” Gendry says. “There’s no way we can. But we can carry on. We’re all going to need each other. So we can remind ourselves and each other what we fought for. That we’re still here.”

“Do you think it will be that easy?”

 “No,” Gendry says. “I don't. Especially when some of the people in question are stubborn.”

At this he directs a pointed look at Arya. She shoves him lightly in the chest and he laughs. It reminds her so much of the first few months they knew each other that it makes her chest ache.

There was a time she wasn't sure she'd ever see him again. Yet here they are. They found their way back to each other. They're both different. With everything that's happened it would be impossible for them not to be. But they still fit.

She grips the back of his neck and pulls him down so that she can rest her head against his. “Will you stay?”

“I'll go anywhere you go,” Gendry tells her. “Or stay, if that's what you want.”

“Someone had a quick change of heart,” Arya teases.

“There was never anything to change,” Gendry says. “I want to be with you, and if that's what you want I'm not going to argue with you.”

“Wise choice.”

“I know enough to understand I can't win an argument with you.”

“Something all men should learn,” Sansa says.

Arya reluctantly pulls away and turns to face her family. Sansa is giving her a knowing smile, but Jon seems distracted by Daenerys Targaryen.

Arya is surprised when Daenerys turns to address her, “I hear you're the one we have to thank for ending this war.”

“I guess so,” Arya says.

“Don’t be modest. You saved us all last night,” Jon says. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” Arya replies. In truth she _had_. But she’d done it for all of them. “I did it because if I didn’t we’d all be dead. And I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Even still,” Jon says. “We owe you. Anything you want. It’s yours.”

“Anything?”

Jon nods, “Anything.”

Arya knows that this is her chance if she wants to tell Jon about Gendry. It's not the best solution, but she'll do what she has to. She turns her head to where Gendry is standing a safe distance away and points a finger in his direction. “I want him.”

Jon looks between them I’m confusion, “What? Arya, I can’t do that.”

“You said anything,” Arya reminds him.

“Yes, but I can’t just give you a person.”

“Even if it’s what he wants?”

Jon turns to Gendry, “Is it?”

Gendry, for his part, looks startled at being addressed, though Arya has no doubt he’s heard every word. “I’m sorry?”

“Is…” Jon looks between them again, the confusion still clear in his face. “What do you want from him exactly?”

“She wants to marry him,” Sansa says. “Isn’t that it?”

It is, but it still sounds strange coming from Sansa. It’s something she never thought she would want, but with Gendry it’s different. He doesn’t expect her to be a lady and sew and wear all those silly dresses. He accepts her for who she is.

“It is,” Arya says.

“Again, shouldn’t he have some say in this?” Jon asks.

“He wants to,” Arya says. “He just doesn’t think he’s deserving because of his station. But I don’t care.”

Jon smiles, “I imagine you wouldn’t.”

“She’s right,” Gendry says.

“So you do still speak,” Jon says. “I was wondering if your tongue had been cut out.”

“I’d hope not,” Arya says. “I love his tongue.”

Jon’s eyes widen, while Sansa and Daenerys hide their smiles in their hands. Gendry makes a noise like he's being strangled. “Please don't kill me.”

Jon narrows his eyes, “How would you know you…”

Daenerys places a hand on his shoulder, “I think if your sister wants to marry this boy and he feels the same that we should give them our blessing, don't you?”

Arya holds back her retort about not needing her blessing. It won't do them any good. Sansa looks pained as she addresses Jon. “I'm inclined to agree.”

Jon sighs, “Sansa…”

“I'm not asking for your permission,” Arya tells him. “I love you, and I respect your opinion. But this isn't up to you.”

“But we would like to have your blessing,” Gendry hurries to add.

Jon watches them for a moment, his face unreadable, before he nods. “And you shall have it.”

“I think a wedding is a wonderful idea,” Sansa says. “We could use something happy around here.”

“I'm not wearing a dress,” Arya tells her.

“Of course you’re not,” Sansa says. She puts her arm around her shoulders and starts to lead her away. “We can still discuss patterns.”

Arya sends a pleading look to Gendry, who shrugs. Some help he is. She supposes there could be worse things than talking over wedding plans with Sansa. She could be dead. If this is the torture she has to endure in order to be alive and have a future she'll accept it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


End file.
